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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a container holder assembly, and more particularly, to an adjustable container holder assembly for attachment to a truck box sidewall.
2. Background Information
A wide variety of vehicles are employed for transporting work related items, such as tools, building materials, equipment, and containers to name only a few. A widely used vehicle for transporting such items is the utility pickup truck. These vehicles have a driver/passenger cab that can accommodate several individuals, and a pickup box located behind the cab on the vehicle chassis. The truck box is commonly an open top rectangular structure with vertical sides and a tailgate that swings down to allow easier access to the interior of the truck box. Optionally, a so-called xe2x80x9ctopperxe2x80x9d can be fastened to the top of the side of the truck box for added protection of the truck box interior.
The placement and fastening of the truck box directly on the vehicle chassis require that wheel wells be incorporated into the bed and sides of the box to accommodate the vehicle rear wheels. The wheel wells extend into the level bed, reducing the area available for storage and transportation of items in the truck box. Thus, the area above the wheel wells in the truck box is often left open and can be considered xe2x80x9cwasted space.xe2x80x9d
Containers that are placed in the truck box can be a problem, particularly when the truck moves over rough terrain or even on smooth roads. The containers are prone to movement as the truck accelerates, decelerates or changes direction. With other tools or materials present in the truck box, the containers are susceptible to puncture and leakage of the container contents. Many containers in use today are plastic, thereby increasing the likelihood of damage or puncture to the container and loss of contents.
Various devices for use in a truck box have been granted patents. Lile, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,893,568, describes a tool holder for a pickup truck box. The holder includes a pair of brackets that fasten to the floor of the box on each side of one wheel well close to one box sidewall. Shovels fit into the brackets and are secured with a locking mechanism to prevent theft.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,634, Ramsey et al. disclose a portable container carrying rack used for holding containers in a flat bed delivery vehicle. The rack is free standing in the flat bed and has foot pads that support the rack. The rails of the rack have adjustable restraints that hold containers upright in the rack.
Commins, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,424,999, describes a carrying case for gas bottles holding gas under pressure. The case is rectangular, boxlike in form, with an open top and contains several cradles for supporting the cylindrical gas bottle on its side. Several handles and a set of wheels are present on the case exterior for ease of handling of the case.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,118,156, Richard discloses a load support system for carrying a load above the wheel wells in the cargo box of a pickup truck. Clamping structures releasably clamp to the flanges at the top of the cargo box. Hangers from the clamps carry load support beams that span the width of the cargo box between the flanges. The load support beams allow items to be carried that would not fit between the wheel wells on the floor of the cargo box.
Spencer et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,162, disclose a utility box with partitions and a latchable top that is designed for use with an ATV vehicle. The U-shaped box has numerous exterior hooks for holding the box to the front end of the ATV vehicle.
McGarrah, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,615, describes a hanging storage box for truck beds. The rectangular box has multiple hanger members adjacent the hinged side of the box lid. The hangers are adjustable in position to accommodate various height truck bed walls. The box has internal antitheft bolts that secure the box to the sidewall of the truck box.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,963, Daugherty discloses a rectangular water container that is secured to the side wall of a pickup truck box by an U-shaped bracket (40) to hold the container in position. The container also has a pair of wheels for transport and a pump to dispense water from the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,537 by Quinn describes a drawer tray for insertion into a desk or bureau drawer. The tray is capable of holding small items such as paper clips, buttons and such and provides an attachment device for fixing the tray to a side wall of a drawer, with the tray extending into the drawer at the top most level of the drawer so as not to interfere with items placed near the bottom of the drawer. The attachment device provides a set of spaced apart xe2x80x9cLxe2x80x9d shaped arms for gripping the outside surface of a side wall of the drawer and a set of spaced apart spring arms for pressing against the inside surface of the same side wall.
Applicant has invented a container holder assembly that attaches to the truck box sidewall above the wheel wells to both secure containers from damage and to utilize this little used area of the truck box. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the adjustable container holder assembly.
The invention is an adjustable container holder assembly that attaches to the sidewall of a pickup box above the fender well, for holding one or more liquid containers. The adjustable container holder assembly includes a horizontal, linear, flat plate member having a pair of spaced apart vertical slot apertures therein, with the plate member adapted for securing to a truck box sidewall. A container holder member includes a top container-encircling band portion, a flat, container-supporting bottom portion, a pair of opposed sidewalls connecting the top band portion and the bottom support portion, and having open sides adjacent the opposed sidewalls. A pair of attachment means is secured to the band portion in register with the pair of spaced apart vertical slot apertures, with the attachment means moveably securable within the slot apertures to adjust the position of the container holder member relative to the flat plate member. The container holder assembly can be constructed to accommodate one, two, three or more containers with internal partitions separating adjacent containers. The container holder assembly is best suited for square jugs with the opening and handle on the top, when such jugs are fabricated from plastic. The container holder assembly can be fabricated from metal, such as steel, or from a polymeric material, such as a high strength plastic.
The container holder assembly holds the containers above the bed of the box in an area that is of limited use due to obstruction by the fender wells. The placement of the container holder assembly adjacent to the sidewall provides easy access to the containers from outside the pickup box. The rack also protects the containers from damage by other implements that are often transported in the box bed of the pickup truck.